Although modern technology has been applied in a great number of fields, the procedures and apparatus connected with funeral services have remained relatively unchanged since antiquity. Funerals have resisted the application of technology largely because of the solemnity and traditional conservativeness of the funeral ceremony. Thus, coffins, caskets, headstones and the like are prepared by means of conventional techniques and require the expenditure of extensive hand workmanship and traditional materials. This intransigence to change has thus rendered the funeral ceremony inordinately expensive in comparison to other things which have become more economical over the years through the efficiencies that accompany the application of technology.
The high cost associated with funerals, far from going unnoticed, has, in recent years become the object of rapidly mounting public concern. However, the funeral industry has, as yet, been unable to find an effective solution to this problem which maintains the dignity of the funeral service, satisfies basic health requirements, and so forth, while lowering the cost of the ceremony.
Among the attempts at reducing the high cost of funerals is U.S. Pat. No. 3,613,189 to Kirby. This patent discloses a casket comprising an outer shell having a substantially conventional appearance and a hinged end which swings open to allow the lengthwise insertion of an inner container. This arrangement suffers from a number of disadvantages. Primarily, lengthwise insertion is a difficult task due to the complications introduced by misalignment and friction. This problem is remedied to some extent by providing the casket with a series of rollers and a motor. However, this makes the casket relatively expensive and introduces a need for maintenance. The use of a hinged end also introduces an unfamiliar seam on the coffin, a seam which, with wear and bending, becomes increasingly obvious and unappealing. More importantly, however, the use of a motor and rollers is not in keeping with the dignity and conservativeness of the funeral ceremony. Moreover, in spite of these disadvantages, the savings are not very substantial because the inner container must be of a relatively high quality in order to have the structural strength to withstand the manipulation that goes along with use of the casket assembly.
Another approach to the end-loading two-piece casket is illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 3,133,344 to Johnson. The device disclosed there is a bottomless casket shell which engages an inner container. The container is released through one end of the shell. This end of the shell has a sliding curtain which can be pulled open in much the same manner as the top of a roll-top desk. However, this structure also suffers from the disadvantage of being relatively expensive and not having the proper dignified appearance.
Still another casket incorporating an outer shell and an inner container is illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 3,815,195 to Owens. In accordance with this patent the inner container adapted to receive and support four facade members, one of which incorporates a hinged lid. However, due to the important structural function of the inner container, it must be of reasonably high quality. The container must also incorporate specialized hardware which is provided for engaging the facade. The savings experienced with such an arrangement are thus not very substantial.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,654,676 to McHugh shows a two-piece casket in which the inner container includes a shoulder by which it is engaged by the outer shell. Here again the engagement structure requires a relatively expensive inner container. Moreover, the mechanics employed render the assembly somewhat inappropriate to a dignified funeral service.
In contrast to the prior art, the multi-element casket, contructed in accordance with the present invention appears even under close inspection to be a conventional casket. At the same time, the casket is relatively inexpensive and is of a construction that makes the incorporation of electrical motors, rollers, hinges and the like unnecessary. Still another advantage of the inventive casket is the fact that all the parts of the casket that come into contact with the deceased are disposed of and are most economically furnished for a single use at each service.